Bob Hurley On Defense

In his book, "The Miracle of St. Anthony", Bob Hurley has some great thoughts on defense.

1. Defense is like your conservative savings. You know what you're going to get. Offense is like the stock market.
2. "We're going to be a defensive clinic."
3. Every game is won with defense. In baseball, it's pitching. In football, it's stopping the run.
4. Pressure ballhandlers into indecision and mistakes.
5. Never allow the ballhandler clear avenues of vision to feed.
6. It's never about winning. It's always about performance.
7. Just don't let the other team run their stuff.

Coach Meyer Camp Coaches Meeting

One of my favorite parts of Coach Meyer's basketball camps as a coach were the coaches meetings on the first day of camp. I'm not sure how many camps I have worked for Coach Meyer but no coaches orientation was ever the same. You never knew what tangent he would head off on or what topics he would cover. I just wanted to share of few of the things from one of my camp notebooks.

• Coaches with a strong value system last the longest in coaching.
• You must want to be better, you must want to work.
• Effort and Attitude are the only two things you can change about yourself.
• Look for work and chances to teach.
• Learn from other coaches.
• Move people mentally.
• You get what you inspect, expect and accept.
• The most important thing is to be a team.
• You become what you think about.
• "The Great Stone Face"--Nathaniel Hawthorne--you become what you concentrate on. What you put in your mind is what you become.
• Show kids, don't just tell them.
• Values--not religion-->friendship, thankfulness, caring, humility
• Servant attitude
  

Qualitative Differences To Produce Excellence

1. TECHNIQUE

Champions are ordinary people who do ordinary things extraordinarily well.

2. DISCIPLINE

Make the practice like games and the games like practice.

Coach's job is to replicate game situations in practice.

3. ATTITUDE OF A CHAMPION

What are they eager to do? Not willing but eager is the key.

Champions don't look at it as a sacrifice. Champions choose to live as champions.

CHAMPIONS BECOME CHAMPIONS BECAUSE THEY DO WHAT CHAMPIONS HAVE TO DO

Key Thoughts For Success

Just wanted to share a few thoughts I came across this morning from my dayplanner journal.

1. There is no happiness when what you believe is not what you are. It's impossible for people to heed your advice and ignore your example.
2. You have to study the game. When two coaches are together and one is talking and one is listening, you know the one listening is the better coach.
3. Each week evaluate your players in manners, courage and language.
4. Do you have servant goals or selfish ones?
5. Build your own army wherever you are. You can't do this by taking from people, you must give. Daily acts of kindness build an army.
6. You are the sum total of your experiences.
7. Don't make decisions because they are convenient, inexpensive or popular. Make them because they are right.
8. Have the mentality of, "Count on me."
9. It's better to be content with a little rather than discontent with a lot.
10. Take nothing for granted.

Fundamentals

3. Just a few thoughts we share with our players and campers this week:

1. Fight to get the shot we want rather than the quick shot our opponent gives us.--Newell
2. Toughest thing to do in coaching is to keep it simple--Majerus
3. Be fundamental and be tough.
4. Fundamentals are the gas that make the car run.
5. Fundamentals are there for everyone, most won't take the time to develop them.

Butkus Defining Excellence

"Excellence--Consistent superiority of performance"

Ripken's Rules

Cal Ripken's Rules:

Love The Game

Love Your Team

Play At The Highest Level